Chapter 37: Chapter 37: New Ability
Zhang Wenda gazed silently at the scene within the monster, his expression heavy.
’Why is there a child inside it? Is this really our future? In this world, is becoming a monster everyone’s ultimate fate?’
He wasn’t sure what the decaying child signified, but the sight filled him with an inexplicable sense of oppression.
Beside him, Song Jianguo clutched her bruised arm, her expression complicated. "Was that really an old man?" she asked.
After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Wenda shook his head. "I don’t know. I’m not sure what this thing is, either. Maybe it wasn’t an old man. Maybe it’s just a monster that spawned in this library."
He switched off the flashlight and, to distract himself, began to examine the red scar on his arm.
’So this thing is called a Red Core? Why that name? Who came up with it?’
’Since there are books about it, it must be part of a well-established system. That means it isn’t some innate Superpower I was born with.’
’Honestly, I skimmed it way too fast. I just frantically memorized one technique to save the day and didn’t retain anything else.’
As if sensing the desire in Zhang Wenda’s heart, a gust of wind blew more ash toward him, which coalesced into various books before his eyes.
"Intermediate Application of the Red Core."
"Advanced Application of the Red Core."
"Basic Application of the Yellow Core."
"The Blue Core’s Conta..."
’No... No! I absolutely can’t keep looking!’ Facing the deeply tempting books, Zhang Wenda forced his eyes shut.
He didn’t know if reading them would turn him into an "adult" like the rabbit, or worse, an "old man" like this monster.
Having struggled in the real world for so long, he was a firm believer in one thing: anything offered for free, with no strings attached, was bound to have a catch—be it money, favors, or even books.
Just as Zhang Wenda forced his eyes shut, trying to resist the books’ temptation, he suddenly heard Song Jianguo cry out in alarm beside him.
The next second, he felt a tremendous force shove him aside, sending him splashing into the water.
When Zhang Wenda scrambled to open his eyes, he saw it—accompanied by a roar, the "old man" was getting back to its feet! It wasn’t dead!
"Holy shit! Its stomach is ripped open and it’s still alive?!" Zhang Wenda’s expression turned grim as he pulled out his flashlight again.
With a HISS, the red Light Saber materialized again. But by drawing on the flashlight’s power, Zhang Wenda’s Red Core was now almost completely depleted.
Wielding the saber in one hand, Zhang Wenda gritted his teeth and stared at the disemboweled monster. He leveled the blade’s tip at the re-risen behemoth. "Bring it on!"
They were so close this time that Zhang Wenda could see viscous fluid, reeking of decay, gushing from its abdomen and dripping into the murky water.
A vile stench began to spread through the area.
At this point, the creature no longer resembled an old man at all. It looked more like a giant zombie that had just clawed its way out of a grave.
Seeing Zhang Wenda’s stance, the monster let out a muffled, indistinct roar. It tossed aside its broken staff and opened its giant, malformed hand. The hand, with eight fingers like withered branches, swiped viciously at Zhang Wenda, its speed creating a foul wind that tore through the air.
With a weapon in hand, Zhang Wenda was no longer afraid. Burning the last of his Red Core, he shot sideways like an arrow loosed from a bow. In the next instant, the flashlight became a streak of red light, slicing diagonally and precisely toward the monster’s grasping wrist.
There was no clang of metal on bone, only a grating, tearing sound that set his teeth on edge, like a red-hot brand searing through rotten wood and worn leather.
The red light sliced halfway through the monster’s thick wrist. No blood sprayed from the charred wound, only wisps of black smoke that rose with an acrid, burning smell.
The wound looked severe, yet it seemed to have no effect on the monster. With even greater speed, it slammed its remaining left hand into the water, the force of the motion pulling Zhang Wenda off balance.
A second later, just as Zhang Wenda was trying to regain his footing, a shadow fell over him. Icy, fetid water flooded his mouth and nose as he barely managed to roll to his left, skimming the surface.
"COUGH! COUGH!" Zhang Wenda struggled to break the surface, sputtering and disheveled. His weapon could easily slice through the creature’s body, but the damn thing was like a corpse—no matter where he struck, it had no effect.
’Faced with this seemingly invincible creature, all I can do is try to behead it. If that doesn’t work, I’ll have to sever all its limbs to completely neutralize it.’
’But with my Red Core completely exhausted, that’s an almost impossible task.’
As the suffocating stench washed over him again, Zhang Wenda lifted his head from the water and saw three pitch-black holes.
Just in the nick of time, a sharp, piercing "MEOW—!" rang out.
It was Song Jianguo’s cats. Ignoring the oozing filth and the acrid stench, they swarmed into the monster’s gaping belly, tearing and scratching frantically like a pack of rats.
The monster paid them no mind, however, and raised its hand to smash down on Zhang Wenda once more.
At the sound of Song Jianguo’s sharp whistle, the Black Cats in the water leaped up, layering themselves in front of Zhang Wenda to form a furry, black shield.
Though made of individual cats, when they came together, the shield seemed as solid as steel, actually managing to block the creature’s full-force blow.
At another whistle from Song Jianguo, a different swarm of Black Cats leaped from a nearby bookshelf, morphing into a black spear in mid-air that plunged into the monster’s left eye.
Zhang Wenda was left dumbfounded by the sight. He turned to Song Jianguo. "You can do that?"
Song Jianguo huffed smugly. "Just learned it. Same as you." As she spoke, she casually tossed aside a piece of parchment she’d just finished reading.
Seeing this, Zhang Wenda grew frantic. "I told you! The things in this place are bad news! Don’t just read whatever you find!"
"If you can look, why can’t I? I get it, I get it."
Song Jianguo said impatiently, pointing at the monster tangled up with the Black Cats. "What do we do about this thing? It doesn’t even seem to be alive."
"Look, it can still move after all that. I’m getting the feeling it’s not human at all."
Zhang Wenda watched the distant monster with a conflicted expression. He tightened his grip on his red, flickering flashlight. "Let’s go! I don’t care what it is. Let’s finish it off together!"
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